The Flickering Flame
by Perc585
Summary: Leo Valdez doesn't know much about doors of death, but he knows they need to be closed at both sides, this is Leo's story of how he stepped up from a lowly mechanic to the hero of Olympus.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey, this is my new story that I have had an idea for a while, I don't know how it's going to turn out, but if it turns out well I might make a second one of this. I don't own any of these characters that right go's to Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson

The Flickering Flame

Two days. That is how long it has been since Percy and Annabeth have fallen into Tartarus. The other seven where all laying around the Argo II, comforting each other to depressed to do anything, Me. I spent 2 days in the engine room without any sleep, food and drink.

Percy wanted us to meet him at the doors of death yet we were all still laying about doing nothing while Percy and Annabeth where fighting gods knows what in Tartarus, this isn't what they would have wanted. They would have wanted us to keep on going, and that was what Leo was going to do.

Leo went up to his room, he spend a through hours tinkering with the Archimedes sphere , figuring out how to install it into the ship and how to work it. He wrote notes while doing this incase he ever needed to look back over something.

Leo finally figured out how to install it into the ship to give it an extra boost as well as a couple of other little surprises. The preparation had started, Leo spent the rest of the day upgrading various bits of the engine room and repairing the ship so it is ready for its voyage to the house of Hades.

It was night now; Leo retired back to his cabin and spent the night writing plans for weapons for the seven and the Argo II, Leo made a lot of progress and even managed to make some stuff. Leo spent the next day the same way he spent the last one.

Leo was thinking about the doors of death, Leo didn't know much about how the doors of death actually work but he was pretty sure in order to close the doors someone would need to close them on the other side, so Leo decide to ask Nico who was still in his bed to tired and weak to move.

When Leo got there he noticed that hazel and where there sitting with Nico, They looked up when I entered when the greetings where all done i turned to Nico.

"Hey guys, do you mind giving me and Nico a minute alone?" Hazel and Frank both looked a little hurt and miffed at this but they still agreed to get out; Nico just looked confused as to why I was looking to talk to him.

"Nico" I began "I guessing there's something you're keeping from the rest of us, something to do with the doors of death. They have to be closed on both sides don't they?"

Nico looked at me so calmly it was a little unnerving he said "Leo, tell no one of this" I fought back the shiver that was crawling up my spine at hearing Nico talk with his obsidian black eyes drilling into me.

"Why did you want to know about this, unless you're planning to..." Nico left the remainder of that sentence unfinished knowing it didn't need finishing. I guess my silence gave him the answer he was asking for because he looked me in the eye and said quietly "Leo, you can't go in your one of the seven, this is my task and mine alone"

I stared into his eye knowing I won't be able to convince him otherwise so instead I came up with a deal "Nico, How about we make a deal, if you are unable to go through the doors of death or you are too weak and injured to survive in Tartarus, then you let me take your place. No one else needs to know about this"

Nico was silent as he thought about Leos offer; finally he said "I swear on the Styx that I will keep this deal" I felt a huge wave of relief go through me as I said good bye to Nico and that I would come back to talk to him some other time.

A deal was made and Leo fully intended to keep it.

**A/N: This was just a chapter to give you a taste of what's to come later, give me comment on who you want Leo to have a romance with because I can't decide. Thanks for reading **

**~Perce585**

the day upgrading various bits of the engine room and reparining the ship s


	2. Something To Fight For

Percy Jackson

The Flickering Flame

**A/N: I know some of this stuff in this story doesn't go along with the book, It's deliberately done like that, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Rick Riordan owns all these characters. **

It's been one week since I made that deal with Nico; I've been working all the time making new weapons, preparing for Tartarus and writing notes for the rest of the seven just in case I don't get the chance to tell them some things.

Leo has gotten very little sleep and has eaten very little, between working on the Argo II and the constant monster attacks I unfortunately don't have any time to take breaks, I could tell the other seven where beginning to worry about me, but I ignored that because I have to do this, this is my responsibility. I won't fail my friends.

Everyone has tried to talk me into sleeping; they all think I'm working this hard for Percy and Annabeth which is only partly true, but it's better if they think that than the actual truth. Piper and her blasted charm speak has told me to go to bed and get some sleep twice now making there less time for me to work with. It's going to be 13 days until we reach the house of Hades; we need to be prepared for it.

I was up in the control room making some notes on how to fly the Argo, when I happened to glance at the clock. It was 11:00 in the morning. The day that I killed my mum. I went over to the seat so I could lay down on it, while the tears made their way down my cheeks; I wish I could just get rid of the pain I thought over and over in my head.

As I thought this my eyes caught my tool belt, as an idea struck me, maybe there is a way I can get rid of my pain. I thought hard for a minute thinking about what I wanted to come out of tool belt; I stuck my hand in my pocket and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

I started to drink it sobbing the entire time as I attempted to drown my sorrows, I don't know how long I spent sobbing and drinking on my couch but I was on my second bottle when the door opened revealing piper and Jason both laughing at some joke the other told. It's nice to see that someone can be happy today I thought dryly.

I quickly hid the bottle behind my back and dried my face from the tears so they didn't notice how weak I really was, they have enough to worry about. "Hey guys" I said cheerfully plastering a fake grin on my face. Piper and Jason greeted me back as they walked over and sat on either side of me, forcing me to lean into the seat so they didn't notice I was hiding the bottle.

"How was your day Leo?" Jason asked, I relied to his question with "It was good I..." I trailed off as I realised piper was turning her nose up in disgust distracting me from the question that Jason asked.

"What is that smell" Piper asked, I thought hard for a second thinking of some excuse that I could come up with.

"Oh, that's something new I was working on, smells nice doesn't it? Of course you would notice that wouldn't you beauty queen "I replied, pretty pleased with the excuse I came up with of smelling of Alcohol, Especially in my drunken state.

Jason frowned sniffing the air as well "That smells like alcohol, I would know Dakota drinks an unhealthy amount. Why would you want alcohol smelling perfume?"

"I... Um... Like the smell?" unfortunately this excuse came out more like a question as if i was asking myself it, I casually pushed myself further into the seat in an effort for the whiskey to remain hidden. Unfortunately piper noticed this.

"Leo" piper began sweetly "What's behind your back?" I looked at her hoping that a confused expression was on my face and not a panicked one. "Nothing is behind my back Piper" i said in my calmest voice, even though it came out a bit slurred I prayed to the gods that they bought my excuse.

The gods where not with me it seems. Immediately after I said this Jason and Piper both got a concerned frown on their faces looking down at me as if I was their child. I hard piper begin to talk and immediately knew that I was in trouble, "Leo, show us what you have behind your back." What's the harm I thought as I was getting the bottle of whiskey out from behind my back and showed it to Piper.

The sounds of gasps broke me from the charm speak; it took me a second to get my bearings and to figure out what happened. When I figured out what happened I got out of the seat and casually walked backwards telling them that I was retiring to my cabin.

Unfortunately they didn't let me escape that easy to escape. As I was walking Jason leapt out of the seat and grabbed my hand wrenching the bottle out of my hands while piper went behind me and locked the door.

I tried to play the situation off by telling a joke "If you want to join me for a drink that's fine, I would appreciate the company" It appears t hat Piper and Jason doesn't appreciate my humour. They just stared at me when I said that, making me fidget.

I couldn't handle looking at their faces in case I seen disappointment there making me feel even more ashamed than I already am, I kept my head bowed staring at my feet not noticing the silent conversation going between Piper and Jason above my head.

I heard the door shut, so I looked up thinking that they left me alone only to see Piper was still here.

It was silent for a few minutes when finally piper decided to make the first move by asking me to sit beside her.

I sat down heavily due to the influence of alcohol and my own tiredness. "Leo, why did you drink?" It was quiet as my mind drifted off somewhere thinking about how my mom's death was my entire fault.

I felt a terrible sense of self loathing guilt and sadness burst forth from my mouth before I could think to stop it. "Do you want to know why I started drinking? I started drinking because this day 14 years ago I killed my own mom, we where spending the day in the workshop like we normally do."

"My mom was locking up but she left something inside and went back in to get it. The door closed and locked its self when she went back inside. A fire started. I could hear her screams as she frantically pounded the doors trying desperately to escape. I stood outside crying and screaming for my mom, when an old lady showed up she said that just because she couldn't kill me didn't mean she couldn't break me.

"I know now the old lady was Gaea. But it doesn't change the fact that I killed my own mom.

" It's the reason why I hate my fire powers every time I see fire I hear the screams, every time I close my eyes that memory haunts my dreams." I don't know when the tears started running down my face in rivers. I stared at the ground to afraid to look up and see hate and disgust in Pipers face.

I felt arms pull me into a hug; I fought against them half heartedly knowing I didn't deserve hugs. The arms held firm until I gave up my fight. I buried my head into pipers shoulder letting the tears out while she stroked my hair and comforted me telling me it wasn't my fault. That it was Gaea's fault.

I don't know when my head ended up in her Lap with my eyes closed. "Leo?" Piper's soft voice said "When was the last time you slept?"

I felt compelled to answer her question, so the answer slipped out of my lips unwillingly "about 5 days" I hear her sharp gasp above me as she realised just how long I was avoiding sleep.

"Oh, Leo" piper murmured "Wait, before I forget where did you get the alcohol" I was to drunk and tired to think about a reason why I shouldn't tell her so I just replied "From my tool belt" .

I tried to stifle a yawn piper noticed this and immediately told me to get some sleep which I was only too happy to do all thought about the doors of death driven out of my head.

I felt the comforting presence of sleep, as piper hummed a song.

"Piper" murmured Leo "Where going to win this war, do you want to know why?"

Piper hummed in response.

"Because we have something Gaea doesn't".

"What's that?" Piper's soft voice asked.

"Something worth fighting for" I replied as I fell into the comforting embrace of sleep.

**A/N: Another chapter done, I'm working on another Merlin story at the moment. I promise you that I will only work on this one and my Merlin story until I finish them Remember to favourite/follow and review **

**~Perce585**


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